I’ve also heard skirt length is influenced by how the economy is doing.

Apparently, it’s because we women are just that sensitive to what is going on around us, it influences every aspect of our being if there’s less money in the bank and jobs on the horizon. Makes sense. We carry the weight of the world on our slender shoulders!

Zuma Press

But did you know that hair length, too, is an indicator?

Check out this article from Canada.com:

Following the follicles of such celebs as Rachel McAdams, Rihanna and Solange Knowles, all of whom have shortened or shaved their hair in recent weeks, Canadian stylists report women are cropping their coifs in scissor-dulling numbers. Economists describe the trend as a kind of hemline index for the salon set, with lock-length signalling feelings about the market.

“The length of women’s hair can be a strong indicator of consumer confidence,” says Ernest Biktimirov, an associate professor of finance at Brock University in St. Catharine’s, Ont.

“When there’s uncertainty about the economy, women realize they can’t spend as much time on their hair, or as much money on (hair) products, and as a result tend to go for shorter styles.”

My thought: Maybe it’s not so much about saving money on hair by having a shorter hair style…maybe it’s more about DEFYING the bleak outlook (that some have), by doing something daring and edgy and pushing the envelope in one aspect we can always control – our own self-expression!

What do all of you think? What is the reason behind this apparent hair-cutting phenomenon?

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A Hairy Economy

Can we blame the worldwide flu pandemic known as the Swine Flu? Or the worsening economy that has finally trickled it’s way down to my friends just a few hours south of San Antonio? 

Zuma Press

To be fair, to date Mexico has 125 confirmed fatalities linked to the (A)H1N1 virus (better known as Swine Flu. So, backing out of a fashion show because the whole country has shut down right before a show is fair. However, the travel warnings have been lifted and the show must go on! And it did. The shows continued to small audience with some designers showing some pretty fabulous collections. 

Much like shows from earlier in the year these shows did not shy away from the downright depressing emotional state that the world is in. The colors were dark, the hair was frazzled and unkept, and the make-up was deep…in almost every show I happened to find photos of.  Not that any of this is bad, of course. Fashion is like any other creative outlet, designers need an outlet to express what is going on in the world. For writers it is words, for painters it is colors and for fashion designers it is textiles. 

Throughout the next few entries we will take a look at these few shows that made it through Mexico City’s D’Fashion Week and how the small audience and economy may have impacted their shows.

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Mexico City Fashion Week: A Total Bust!

Destination Spa - Image: Colleen Coplick on Flickr

While this certainly won’t apply to everyone, primarily due to geography, many of the destination spas offer the use of their facilities with just one treatment. If you can’t afford an overnight stay or a weekend, book a massage, a facial or a scrub at a destination spa, and take advantage of their pool, steam room, sauna and other lovely amenities.

NBC News did an article about this very thing, and found that the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, located not far from Los Angeles, offers their guests use if the facilities. A destination spa known for it’s lavender gardens and approach that draws on Native American traditions, can make guests feel like they’re on a mini-vacation just by spending an hour or three at the spa.

As for other spas offering similar money-saving options, the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, NC with 50 minute massages available rather than more expensive 80 minute massages, where they used to begin. The Cliff House Resort in Maine is offering a spa sampler on Sundays for $99.

Other tips for finding luxury spa experiences without the luxury price include booking treatments on Monday through Wednesday, when the spas are typically quieter or asking about any specials they have going on, like mother-daughter discounts for the spring season. Many spas have them if you ask, but always talk about them.

Also, take a look at some of the closer-to-home destination spas. For example, the Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club & Spa is a luxury lakeside hotel located in Kirkland WA, just a few minutes outside of Seattle. On a Friday afternoon at 3pm, normally the beginning of rush hour, it took me less than 20 minutes to get from downtown Seattle to Kirkland.

The Woodmark is a gorgeous retreat-like space, with large suites, beautiful lake views, sweeping staircases and a gorgeous spa. Despite being only 15 minutes outside of the centre of the city, I could have been hours away from the city.

Take a look around, just outside your city, and see what you can find. Even just a quick drive can yield some hidden gems, that won’t cost a fortune.

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A Way to Spa, Despite Economic Woes

In regards to saving and the Spring season, if you aren’t quite ready to throw out your dark prints, take a look at these Badgley Mischka dresses available at Bluefly.com.

Chocolate metallic floral neck tie dress

This has a a bit of a fall feel, but has the small floral prints that make it a great transition piece into the Spring season. It also has a neck tie that has been seen all over the place. I think it is beautiful. It has puffed sleeves with a full skirt. It is on sale for $306.

Taupe floral embroidered ‘Hannah’ belted dress

I don’t just like this dress because it has my cousin’s name in it, I like it because of the taupe color and the belted middle and scoopneck. This is $303.

Chocolate abstract burn-out chiffon belted dress

This is chocolate, orange, and brown combination that is another great transition piece from winter to spring. It has a sultry v-neck, but has an inset little cami so you don’t have to feel too sexy if you are going to wear it somewhere like the office or out with the kids. This one is $328.

Photos from: Bluefly.com

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Buying Luxury on a Budget